LUFORO Bulletin - Vol 2 No 10 - Oct 1961

Magazine Overview

Title: LUFORO BULLETIN
Issue: Vol. II, No. 10
Date: October 1961
Publisher: London Unidentified Flying Object Research Organisation (LUFORO)
Price: 6d

Organization and Membership

The LUFORO Bulletin introduces itself as the publication of the London Unidentified Flying Object Research Organisation, a non-profit society founded on July 11th, 1959. LUFORO is supported by membership subscriptions and donations, with full members in 10 countries and correspondents in 8 others. The organization's aims are the unbiased scientific investigation of UFO reports, collection of verifiable evidence, publicizing information, and promoting cooperation among researchers. Annual membership is 10/-d. (or $1.50), which includes a subscription to the "LUFORO BULLETIN". The Bulletin itself is published monthly and contains at least eight pages. The subscription rate for 12 monthly issues is 5/-d. (or $1), with single copies available for 6d. (or 10 cents). Publication began in early 1960, and back numbers are available.

• The key personnel listed are:
• President: G F N Knewstub A.M. Brit. IR.E., A.Inst.E.
• Chairman: Mr. G.N.P. Stephenson (12, Dorset Road, Cheam, Sutton, Surrey, ENGLAND). All UFO reports should be addressed to him.
• Honorary Secretary: Miss S.R. Stebbing (26, Walmington Fold, Woodside Park, London, N.12, ENGLAND). General enquiries and remittances for England should be addressed to her.
• U.S.A. Representative: Mr. L.P. Maccubbin (address from Sept 15th: 110 Lefevre, Station No. 1, Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S.A.). Remittances for the USA, including membership fees, should be sent to him.
• Editor: Mr. Lawrence G. Moore (3, Kent Terrace, Regents Park, London, N.1., ENGLAND). All articles and letters for publication should be sent to the Editor.
• Hon. Acting Treasurer: Miss Y. Stebbing.

It is noted that the July and August issues were combined and edited by the Chairman due to the Editor's temporary absence. Opinions published in the Bulletin do not necessarily reflect LUFORO's views.

Sightings and Reports

Torquay Sighting (August 16, 1961)

The issue highlights several recent sightings. One report, from the Herald Express dated August 16, 1961, details a sighting by Mr. R G Clift, a night porter at Torquay's Edenhurst Hotel. At 12:15 pm, while looking towards Torbay through binoculars, he observed a flying saucer. He described its shape as matching previously seen sketches, with a rim emitting a faint bluish light that scintillated in the sun. The upper part was burnished white and opaque, contrasting with the under-surfaces. He had a few seconds of steady surveillance, which felt like hours. Initially mistaking it for a jet aircraft, he was shaken upon realizing it was something else. He regretted not having a camera with telephoto lenses. Later that afternoon, Mrs. J. Mauder and Mr. J. Gilpin also saw a shining object moving rapidly over Torbay. Mrs. Maunder provided additional details: the object was seen on August 15, 1961, at 12:20 pm, described as reflecting the sun like a hand mirror being turned over. It moved East to West at high speed, was straight in its flight path, low in elevation, and had no noise, color, or trail. Mr. Gilpin observed it for 20 seconds through binoculars. Both he and Mr. Clift saw it while watching a liner in the bay.

East Hertfordshire and Essex Lights (June 30, 1961)

This section follows up on a previous mention of sightings on June 30, 1961. Between 10 and 10:30 pm, Peter Wilkinson and Josephine Steele saw two brilliant, yellowish lights in the sky over Stanstead Abbots, moving towards them at the height of a low-flying aircraft. Wilkinson discounted the aircraft theory due to their brilliance and speed. The lights were partially obscured by trees but remained visible and appeared stationary. The Air Ministry had no explanation, and the nearest weather balloon launch was in Sussex. Three Hertfordshire youths also observed a bright object at 10:10 pm. Peter Camp of Ware reported seeing two 'apparently synchronised lights' about 60 feet apart hovering silently over the Stanstead Abbots area. A group of six people in Ware also saw two bright yellow lights hovering, which either faded or moved away at high speed after about 10 minutes. Two of these witnesses later saw them again. Six more people in Hoddesdon reported similar lights. One observer saw a single light at 9:30 pm, followed by two 'big headlights' between 10 and 10:30 pm, which appeared to be coming towards them before vanishing as if switched off. An official at Stanstead Airport confirmed no air traffic at that time, and pilots do not use landing lights below 500 feet. The nearest R.A.F. station could not provide information. Observers in Essex also reported two bright lights near Halstead, some believing them to be aircraft, though uncertain if they were stationary. Several witnesses mentioned the lights seemed to be carried by a dark object. The observations occurred in the 20 minutes preceding 9:40 pm. A "mystery light" was also seen on June 20th by two witnesses, appearing as a bluish light hovering at low altitude before fading. A peculiar note mentions that the day after the June 30th sightings, a ton of stones was found on the Hertford-Hoddesdon road, which Mr. Harry Lord of the Tyneside UFO Society suggests might be connected to the events, citing reports of UFOs jettisoning material.

Dumfriesshire Sightings (Scotland)

Mrs. Mary Watson of Moffat, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, has provided several interesting sightings:

1. June 28, 1960: Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Thompson saw a cigar-shaped object, yellow with a green central portion, speeding across the sky over Moffat at 10:40 pm. Mrs. Watson believes this might be the object reported by the BBC the next morning.
2. February 29, 1960: Several men saw a long cigar-shaped object over Moffat, described as silvery with internal lights. One man reported it turned upwards towards the moon and then straightened out. The sighting occurred at 8 am.
3. October 1959: Mrs. Moffat observed a bright light, twice the size of Venus, with a black bar down the center. Two days later, she read a report in the Daily Herald about a similar sighting by people in Selkirk and Hawick. This observation was made through binoculars.
4. August 15, 1960: Mrs. Violet Whybrow (Mrs. Watson's daughter) saw an object at 2:30 am. resembling one described by George Adamski. It hovered stationary for five minutes, appearing greyish-umber with a brilliant white light on top. A 'gauzy band' was observed weaving around it, which then accelerated and flew around the object in a corkscrew fashion. The light illuminated the scullery, though the source was not visible from Mrs. Whybrow's position. Her husband saw the light from their bedroom but not the machine. The object disappeared when Mrs. Whybrow returned to her window.
5. August 16, 1960: Mr. and Mrs. Watson, while visiting their daughter, saw a cigar-shaped object, described as "reddish-brown clay" and illuminated by street lamps, flash low over their heads at 10:40 pm.
6. May 15, 1961: The Provost of Moffat and four other men saw a long cigar-shaped object with an orange light pass quickly overhead at 9 pm. An observatory confirmed no known aircraft, balloon, or Sputnik in the vicinity. The object was also seen over Moffat and Dumfries (21 miles away).

Mrs. Watson also notes other sightings from the '47-'52 spate of UFO activity in the area.

Mystery Object Over The Midlands Area (August 27-28, 1961)

On Sunday evening, August 27, 1961, Mrs. E. Lea of Wolverhampton saw a strange object in the sky, described as a long rectangular strip of brilliant light with a ring at the end, reddish in color. The following morning, August 28, Mr. George Parr, a night watchman in Wednesbury, saw a fast-travelling object with a large incandescent flame at the rear, possibly a spent rocket or crashing plane. He observed fins falling off. Several other people in the West Midlands area also saw the object. Mr. Banks Fearon of Walsall described seeing a strange blue object, like a shell, with three lights and flames shooting from the back. It appeared to blow up, with three lights breaking away, one drifting towards the ground. Mrs. M. Whitehouse of Cheslyn Hay reported seeing a brilliant light, like polished gold, about the size of a football, from which two pieces fell off.

Overseas Reports

• Papua (January 3, 1960): Mr. John B. Awui and five other crew members of the M.V. Maclaren King saw an object about 12 miles offshore at Lae. It was umbrella-shaped, white as if painted, about 40-50 feet across, with four 'windows' on the underside. It moved to and fro for about an hour before passing upwards through the clouds. The report notes similarities to other sightings with 'illuminated panels' and 'legs' underneath, suggesting a common machine. The self-luminous nature is also highlighted as a UFO characteristic.
• Papua (November 28, 1960): Revd. N.E.G. Cruttwell and Papuans at Sefoa Menapi and Samarai reported a luminous object streaking across the sky like a rocket, with a brilliant orange-pink flare head and a billowing bluish smoke tail. The vapour trail suggested a height of possibly 10,000 feet. The object moved easterly, took about 10 seconds to cross the visible sky, and continued horizontally without dimming. The report questions whether it was a meteor or a UFO, noting many 'satellite-like' objects seen in the area, some with unusual features.

• Sweden (August 28, 1961): Tommy Helmer and his sister near Enköping saw two strange objects in the south. One, observed through a spy-glass, was saucer-shaped and orange. The time was 10:40 pm.

• Australia: A UFO was traced and seen flying over various Australian ports, with the R.A.A.F. unable to identify it.

• U.S.A. - Newark, Ohio (May 29, 1961): News from 'UFO SIGHTER' reports an extraordinary film taken by two teenagers showing a huge UFO and smaller objects over Newark. Robert Miller described a large white UFO, as large as the moon, with a bluish halo. It progressed from north to south and divided into sections. Miller's friend filmed the event. The film shows a round ball, a larger oblong tail, and later, three tiny blue and red UFOs appearing and fading. The large UFO regained its spheroid form with a bluish-green and orange-white light. The film, lasting 1-3 minutes, was taken at 10 pm. on a clear night with a Kodak 8 mm. camera. Copies were sent to NICAP. The authenticity of the film is indicated.

News Items

• Martian Invaders: An excerpt from Chapman Pincher in the Daily Express (28/9/61) discusses the science of 'exobiology' and the fear of contamination from extraterrestrial bacteria via robot missiles or manned spaceships.
• Jodrell Bank - Check-up on Star Blast: Jodrell Bank scientists were awaiting details of an exploding star reported from Montreal (Manchester Evening News, 25/9/61).
• Mystery Blast: Devon police had no information to explain a mystery explosion that shook houses along the North Devon coastline (Belfast Telegraph, 30/9/61).
• U.S.A. - Mt. Rainier Sighting: A strange object with probing beams of light was seen circling south-west of Mt. Rainier, Washington, on July 13th, startling officers. They observed one large light surrounded by several smaller ones, moving for hours before disappearing (Saucer News, Sept. 61).
• Crops Damaged by Blue Cloud: Farmers in Pau, France, blamed a mysterious blue cloud for crop damage (Reuters, June 22, 1961).

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The LUFORO Bulletin consistently focuses on detailed witness accounts of unidentified flying objects, emphasizing the collection of verifiable data and scientific investigation. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into UFO phenomena, presenting reports from various international locations. There is a clear effort to document object characteristics, including shape, color, size, behavior, and speed. The publication also touches upon broader implications, such as the potential for extraterrestrial contamination and the role of scientific bodies like the Air Ministry and R.A.F. in unexplained aerial phenomena. The inclusion of news items from other sources broadens the scope beyond direct sightings, reflecting a general interest in unexplained events and scientific developments.

This issue of "Flying Saucers" magazine, dated September 1961, delves into various aspects of UFO phenomena, scientific inquiry, and the activities of a dedicated research organization. The content includes reports on unusual atmospheric events, discussions on the nature of scientific evidence, and detailed information about the London Unidentified Flying Object Research Organisation (LUFORO).

Sulphurous Clouds and Extraterrestrial Life

The issue opens with a report on a "blue cloud with a strong sulphur smell" observed in the Lacq region, which farmers claimed was responsible for damage to crops. This phenomenon is linked to emanations from natural gas deposits and other industrial installations. The article also references historical accounts, including Charles Fort's report of a sulphurous cloud over Germany in April 1767, and other similar occurrences over decades.

A segment titled "U.S.S.R. and EXTRA-TERRESTRIALS" discusses Radio Moscow's broadcast celebrating the anniversary of Sputnik 1. The broadcast touched upon the possibility of life on other planets, with the announcer stating that people on Mars or Venus would be unable to detect signs of life or artificial construction on Earth, just as humans are unable to find life elsewhere. The announcer also suggested that upon landing on Mars, significant discoveries, including the nature of Martian canals, could be expected.

Letters to the Editor: Debating Science and UFOs

A significant portion of the magazine is dedicated to "Letters to the Editor," featuring a lively debate sparked by a previous letter from Roger Wyld. Several correspondents express their views on the scientific approach to UFO investigation.

One letter, from A.J.Watts of Colchester, Essex, questions Roger Wyld's understanding of physics and its aims. Watts emphasizes that scientific investigation seeks fundamental principles through careful measurements. He notes that in the last 50 years, mathematical logic has advanced ahead of practical investigations, citing Dirac's postulation of the positron as an example. Watts stresses that observation and experiment are the cornerstones of science, leading to theories that form coherent patterns from which future behavior can be deduced.

Charles A Stickland of London S.E.16 offers a perspective on scientific humility, stating that competent scientists do not believe their theories are absolutely true but rather that they are better explanations of available facts. He describes the scientific process as one of subjecting theories to criticism, leading to their rejection or acceptance, and eventual replacement by superior theories.

Richard W Plummer suggests that physicists often view phenomena in terms of quantities and numbers, believing nature conforms to these invented assumptions. He argues that when physicists dismiss UFO evidence as mirages or hallucinations, they are essentially stating that such phenomena are not reconcilable with their notions of quantity and number.

J.Cleary-Baker Ph.D. of Weeke, Winchester, questions the difficulty in accepting UFOs and suggests that physicists might be affronted by demonstrations that do not conform to their evolved notions. He posits that quantities and numbers are merely tools for fashioning knowledge. Cleary-Baker also raises the point that UFO action might be responsible for some unexplained air disasters, noting that the mathematical likelihood increases with each recorded case. He expresses concern about the intentions of alien visitants, suggesting there are indications they might be hostile, while dismissing fanciful notions of benevolent supermen.

Cleary-Baker also touches upon the policy of the American Silence Group (NICAP), suggesting that withholding information from qualified researchers might be due to a responsibility to the public, to avoid panic generated by science-fiction-like scenarios. He concludes that a bald statement of UFOs being interplanetary spaceships, coupled with ignorance of their nature and purpose, could cause apprehension.

LUFORO: The London Unidentified Flying Object Research Organisation

The magazine provides extensive details about LUFORO, highlighting its activities and aims.

Brains Trust and Media Coverage

A report from the West London Press describes a Brains Trust meeting at Caxton Hall on September 23rd, featuring panelists G.F.N.Knewstub, Charles H Gibbs-Smith, Desmond Leslie, and Antoni Szachnowski. The discussion ranged from subjective UFO phenomena to UFO files in the Moscow Academy of Sciences. It was generally agreed that many UFO sightings have a subjective basis, and that corroborated sightings are not necessarily 100% reliable due to individual differences in perception.

Desmond Leslie's opinion was that any races wishing to return to Earth must be masochists. The panel generally agreed that UFOs are likely interplanetary, though definitive scientific proof remains elusive or unpublicized.

Maurice Hussey reported on this meeting on the BBC program 'TODAY' on September 26th. He noted that while recent satellite launches focused on space conditions, they were not equipped to report on flying saucers. Hussey, convinced of the ongoing presence of flying objects, had been invited to a LUFORO meeting. He introduced the concepts of "objective" and "subjective" saucers, with LUFORO keen on recording objective sightings using detailed forms. However, subjective reports, which might be invisible or hallucinations, posed a challenge. It was mentioned that 95% of such reports might be bogus, but the remaining 5% warranted investigation.

The report also mentioned claims of people visiting other planets and arriving from time to time, with one individual claiming to have visited Venus recently. The consensus was that a dramatic public landing of a flying saucer would compel the government to allow scientists to investigate.

LUFORO's Operations and Membership

LUFORO's Chairman, G.N.P.Stephenson, reportedly receives numerous UFO reports, with the organization receiving around 2000 reports from all sources since its formation two years prior. The organization aims to present information objectively. An Air Ministry spokesman declined an invitation to the Brains Trust, stating the R.A.F. is only interested in UFO reports related to national security.

LUFORO has been an agent for Ray Palmer's magazine "Flying Saucers" published in the U.S.A. for over a year. The magazine emphasizes that LUFORO is not an agent for any other publication.

Contact Investigation Section and Future Meetings

The magazine announces the formation of a "Contact Investigation Section" to investigate claims of "contact" with UFO occupants, particularly in the British Isles. Membership in this section is open to both full and associate members.

A "CHANGE OF ADDRESS" notice is provided for Miss S R Stebbing, the Hon. Secretary, with communications to be redirected to the Chairman until further notice.

Future meetings are scheduled: a lecture by Leonard Cramp on "Space, Gravity and the Flying Saucer" on November 4th, and a comprehensive program on December 2nd, including the Annual General Meeting, discussions, and presentations of UFO reports and photographs.

The Preston & District Astronomical Society is also holding a meeting on November 16th with astronomer Patrick Moore as the speaker.

LUFORO Services and Departments

LUFORO offers a postal "Information Service" for members, requiring a stamped addressed envelope for replies. "Investigations" involve witnesses completing a special UFO Sighting Report Form (S.3.), with local investigators interviewing witnesses and submitting reports. The organization is urgently seeking more investigators.

A "Foreign Department" has been established, headed by Mr. F.M. Bull, to handle foreign language correspondence and reports for translation.

The "Stratford-on-Avon Affiliate Group," chaired by Mr. J.D. Llewellyn, holds monthly meetings.

LUFORO itself is not affiliated with any other organization. A "Photographs Investigation Section" is being formed to investigate alleged UFO photographs.

"Associate membership" of LUFORO is free and grants access to the Information Service.

The "Contact Investigation Section," led by Mr. R. Shephard, focuses on "contact" claims in the British Isles.

An "Index of Reports" is published periodically as a supplement to the LUFORO BULLETIN.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the ongoing investigation and discussion of UFO phenomena. There is a clear emphasis on collecting and analyzing UFO sightings, distinguishing between objective and subjective accounts, and exploring potential scientific explanations. The magazine also highlights the efforts of LUFORO as a dedicated organization in this field, providing practical information about its services, membership, and upcoming events. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, encouraging the reporting of sightings while acknowledging the challenges of scientific verification and the potential for public apprehension. There is a tension between the desire for open information and the possibility of official secrecy or public panic, suggesting a cautious approach to disseminating sensitive findings.